NOLL, LEMOINE, KING, JR. AND FUNK WIN SAT. NITE MAIN EVENTS AT MANZANITA

Source: Windy McDonald
Date: 05/11/2008

Jason Noll added his name to the Barnett Dirt Modified winner’s list in their first half mile track race of the year Saturday night at Manzanita Speedway. Robert King, Jr. added to his points lead with a win in the AMA Modlites and JJ Lemoine scored his third win of the season in the dwarf car feature and added to his points lead. Rookie driver Garrett Funk won his third straight SCRA sport modified feature and took over the points lead as veteran driver Chris Rhein, points leader heading into the race, could do no better than eighth in the feature.

Terry Belcher, Jr. shot away from the field at the green flag for the dirt modified feature and pulled away to a three second advantage over Noll. His car failed him after leading five laps as Junior’s hard luck continued. He has not finished a feature race this year. Behind Noll at the checkered flag were Chuck Kuehl and points leader Anthony Madrid. Rene Madrid drove a steady race with a drive from his fifth row starting berth to edge Tony Steele for fourth. Rounding out the top ten were Kenny Wyman, Robert King, Jr., 14 year old Tim Ward who was making his first start on the half mile track, two time champion Ricky Thornton and Chris McCurdy, Jr.

Heat races went to Tom Lucas who beat Noll, Anthony Madrid, Belcher, Jr. and Jay Foster. Ricky Thornton, Jr. won the second heat over Kuehl, Terry Belcher, Sr., McCurdy and Wyman.

King dueled with his team mate Clayton Echols and with his father-in-lap Terry Belcher for the entire distance in the modlites and Echols barely edging Belcher for runner-up honors. Jim Chapp came out of the fifth row to finish fourth ahead of William McDowell whose brother is in his first year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Behind the top five were Brain King, Brandon Echols, Danny Torgerson, Dan Schuck and Tom Nichols.

King won the first heat over Torgerson and Clayton Echols and Belcher topped Justin Randall and Gary Mooney in the second heat.

LeMoine came out of the fifth row, took the lead on the 12th lap, and pulled away in the remaining three laps with Steve Davis second ahead of early leader Randy Johnson. Chad Stewart was fourth and Brian Stehr, ranked second in points, was fifth. The rest of the top ten, in order, were Kelly Jenkins, Chris Snyder, Todd Bennett, Eddie O’Neill and Rat Stafford. ]

Rookie driver Troy Wilkinson beat Ryan Irish and Stafford in the first heat; Jenkins topped LeMoine and Davis in the second six lapper and Stehr was better than Johnson and Stewart in the final preliminary race.

Garrett diced with Jim Herzner, Jr. before taking the lead in the sport mod main event on the fourth lap. Once out front the 14 year old made it look easy as he finished a half lap ahead of Herzner. Keith Krenklis finished third.

A false start due to the pole car jumping the green flag put Funk on the pole but Herzner beat him through the first turn and led the first three laps. Funk, driving like a seasoned veteran found the fastest way around the one third mile track and made a low line pass pay off with the lead on lap #4. Then he played a game of "get gone". Behind the top three were trophy dash and heat race winner Kerry Campbell and Rick Stephenson. Rounding out the top ten were Mark Sember, Robin Boomgaarden, Rhein, Bud Hamblen and Steve Bender.

Behind Campbell in the first heat were Funk and Sember. Bender beat Herzner and Hamblen in the second heat.

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